Poland’s Robert Lewandowski scores four in seven-goal rout of Gibraltar

Poland's Robert Lewandowski scores his side's fourth goal against Gibraltar during a Euro 2016 Group D qualifier. Photograph: Francisco Seco/AP

Gibraltar’s first senior competitive game ended in a 7-0 thumping by Poland in their opening Euro 2016 Group D qualifying match on Sunday night.

Robert Lewandowski scored four, Kamil Grosicki fired in two and Lukasz Szukala also got on to the scoresheet in a predictably one-sided match at Estádio Algarve.

Gibraltar, Uefa’s newest member and a country with a population of around 30,000, were accepted by the European governing body in May 2013 after a 14-year battle.

They face a tough test to progress from Group D with a team predominantly made up of amateurs, which has been made even more difficult after their opening result, as they have been drawn with World Cup winners Germany, Poland, Republic of Ireland, Scotland and Georgia.

Poland took the lead in the 11th minute through Grosicki’s low strike to set the tone for the rest of the match.

Gibraltar’s Brian Perez tried his luck in the 21st minute but his shot flew over the bar as the home side struggled to make many chances against their experienced opponents.

The Bayern Munich striker Lewandowski lined up a free-kick in a dangerous area just to the left of the edge of the 18-yard box but sent it wide. He then fired another attempt into the wall just before the break as Poland held on to their one-goal lead.

The visitors doubled their advantage early in the second half when Grosicki was given acres of time and space in the box as Gibraltar’s defence stood off and the Rennes midfielder picked his spot.

Lewandowski added the third in the 50th minute when he headed in from close range after a long diagonal ball over to top from Grosicki to stun the home side.

The 26-year-old striker was then denied by keeper Jordan Perez – who works as a fireman – as he stood up and palmed away Lewandowski’s effort, but the forward did score his second and Poland’s fourth of the match three minutes later, when he slid the ball in after a neat one-two with Grosicki on the break.

Szukala then rose highest to head the fifth from a free-kick in the 58th minute – meaning Poland had scored four within 11 second-half minutes.

Lewandowski squandered the chance to claim his hat-trick when he could not keep the ball down after trying to fire in from the right in the 80th minute but made no mistake six minutes later when he raced towards goal and coolly beat Perez.

The prolific forward added his fourth in the first minute of stoppage time to compound Gibraltar’s misery in what was a bittersweet arrival in international football.